SONJA KUFTINEC - THE CATALYST
Sonja Kuftinec is a Theater professor at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She advised me on my Mise-en-Scene 21 project. One summer 2017 day, I read Sonja’s book, Staging America: Cornerstone and Community-Based Theater, in a South Minneapolis coffee shop. I went to get a coffee refill, and Sonja was waiting in line to buy cookies. That moment was when I decided working together was meant to be. I then interviewed her for Mise-en-Scene 21.
The interview can be found here: https://www.mise21.com/home/sonja
Her work can be found here: https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/kufti001
Sonja designed and orchestrated a theater workshop in war-torn Bosnia in 1995 for teenagers. While researching her work, I found the undeniable and tangible effect theater can have on youth. Sonja has used her mind and personality to enable theater to change young people’s lives. I first met Sonja in a 2009 U of MN Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature seminar on fairy tales, myths, and legends that she taught with Maria Asp and Jack Zipes. Jack is the world expert on fairy tales. Sonja’s mentorship made me believe that in the arts, if a concept or work is possible to make people’s lives better, then it is worth pursuing. Sonja is the catalyst for Chase Aesthetics! Without Sonja’s collaborative imagination and her investment in my creative ideas, I might not be working on this contest right now. She now acts as the board chair of Chase Aesthetics! I am forever grateful for our friendship.